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Des  Moines,  Iowa,  Thursday  Sept.  7,  1882. 
The  Iowa  Prisoners  of  War  Association  convened  in  Annual  Tie-union,  in 
the  U.  S.  Circuit  Court  Room,  and  was  called  to  order  at  10  o’clock,  a.  m.,  by 
the  President  J.  E,  Wilkins,  the  Secretary  J.  J.  Stuckey  also  being 


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present. 

There  being  over  two  hundred  comrades  present,  calling  of  roll  dispensed 
with. 

Rev.  AY.  J.  YYmng,  of  East  Des  Moines  offered  prayer,  after  which  the 
President  introduced  lion.  P.  V.  Carey,  Mayor,  who  welcomed  the  heroes  to 
our  city  in  a  neat  and  appropriate  address.* 

Response  of  Rev.  J.  B.  Yaw  ter  to  the  Mayor’s  address  of  welcome. 

Mr.  President,  Honorable  Mayor,  Comrades: — There  must  be  some  mistake. 
Something  is  wrong.  I  was  told  that  your  Honorable  Mayor  would  deliver 
an  address  of  welcome  to  the  Association  of  Prisoners  of  War,  and  I  was 
asked  to  respond  on  behalf  of  the  Association.  I  fear,  Air.  President,  and 
Honorable  Mayor,  that  you  have  been  imposed  upon.  These  well  dressed, 
and  well  fed  gentlemen  are  not  old  prisoners.  It  wont  do  gentlemen.  I've  seen 
prisoners.  I  know  how  they  look,  and  how  they  act.  If  I  should  offer  a 
chew  of  tobacco  for  a  soup-bone,  could  I  trade  in  this  assembly?  I  think 
not.  If  I  should  go  through  this  hall  with  a  half-pint  of  miserable  bean-soup, 
in  a  blackened  half-canteen,  trying  to  swap  it  for  two  spoonsful  of  rice,  could 
I  find  a  market?  Not  without  skimming  off  the  bugs;  and  that  would  take 
cAsmf  the  soup. 

Do  you  think,  Air.  President,  that  these  gentlemen  have  carefully  pressed 
all  the  seams  in  their  shirts  this  morning  with  their  thumb-nails?  I  don’t  be¬ 
lieve  it. 

No!  comades,  we  neither  look,  nor  act,  nor  feel  like  prisoners  of  war. 

Memory,  by  the  word  “Andersonville,”  calls  up  pictures  of  wretchedness, 

horror  and  woe,  that  seem  to  us  now,  in  our  comfortable  surroundings,  like 

r  frightful  dreams  of  a  disordered  brain. 

When  I  entered  that  pen,  late  in  July,  1864,  it  contained  thirty  thousand 

men.  Think  of  it!  The  railroads  centering  in.  this  city  have  been  loaded 

down  for  three  or  four  days  bringing  people  to  the  State  Fair,  and  the  papers 

tell  us  that  yesterday  there  were  thirty  thousand  on  the  grounds.  Some  of  you 

saw  that  vast  multitude,  in  that  park  of  nearly  one  hundred  acres.  Can  you 

imagine  such  a  multitude  crowded  into  a  pen,  containing  only  eleven 

acres— not  to  swelter  and  smother  for  an  hour  or  two,  but  to  live  there — or 

*  Note.—' The  Mayor’s  address  was  taken  from  the  room  by  some  one  unknown,  which 
will  account  for  its  absence  in  the  minutes. 


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die — till  the  weary  days,  and  sleepless  nights  dragged  into  weeks,  and  the 
weeks  into  months.  By  computation  of  the  number  of  men,  and  the  available 
space  in  the  pen,  you  will  find  that  there  were  about  twenty  men  to  every 
square  rod  of  surface;  when  they  all  lay  down  at  night  you  could  not  walk 
many  steps,  in  any  part  of  the  pen,  without  treading  on  some  one  and  getting 
into  trouble. 

The  pen  was  a  field  of  yellow  sand.  It  was  all  alive  with  fieas.  Lice 
crawled  everywhere.  Myriads  of  flies  buzzed  about  us  all  day,  and  clouds  of 
musquitos  destroyed  our  rest  at  night. 

A  few  had  blankets,  and  were  able  to  provide  themselves  with  meager  tents 
that  partly  sheltered  them.  But  the  vast  majority  had  no  shelter  or  covering 
of  any  kind.  They  entered  that  pen  of  horror,  stripped  and  robbed.  They 
groveled  in  that  hot  sand,  beneath  that  burning  sun,  and  fought  fleas  and 
lice  by  day,  and  at  night  the  white  fog  of  the  swamps,  laden  with  the  foul 
stench  of  our  own  valley  of  death,  crept  up  through  the  stockade,  wrapped  us 
about  with  its  damp  vapors,  and  saturated  us  with  its  malarious  poison. 
When  at  last,  weary  with  fighting  musquitos,  we  stretched  ourselves  on  the 
sand  to  sleep,  the  dew  beaded  our  temples  and  beards. 

About  half  of  these  men  were  sick  with  diarrhoea,  fever,  scurvy  and  other  dis 
eases.  At  least  five  thousand  were  helpless.  They  needed  careful  nursing,  and 
got  nothing.  They  lay  on  that  vermin -reeking  sand,  in  their  rags  and  filth,  the 
fog  chilling  them  by  night,  and  the  sun  blistering  them  by  day,  and  died  at 
the  rate  of  three  thousand  per  month.  We  could  not  help  them — poor  boys— 
We  had  no  means.  One  mercy  amid  this  woe  was,  that  when  a  man  became 
helpless,  he  generally  soon  became  delirious,  and  did  not  realize  his  surround¬ 
ings.  He  would  name  over  his  dear  ones,  and  prattle  of  love  and  home, 
while  misery  and  wretchedness  lay  round  about  him.  Yea  in  his  wild  ravings 
you  would  hear  snatches  of  heavenly  songs,  though  sung  in  the  bowels  of 
hell.  * 

Such  was  Andersonville  in  the  summer  and  fall  of  1864.  Comrades  I  ap¬ 
peal  to  you— have  I  drawn  the  picture  too  strong?  You  know  I  have  not, 
Many  of  }rou  remember  how  the  strong  struggled  for  life,  and  the  weak  died,  and 
were  piled  up  at  the  South  Gate,  with  none  to  help  us,  to  sympathize  with  us, 
to  care  for  us,  till  the  God  of  Heaven,  and  of  nature,  in  pity  for  his  wretched 
children,  sent  his  storm  cloud  to  wash  our  sandy  beds,  and  re-affirmed  the 
strange  story  of  Moses,  about  the  Bock  in  the  wilderness,  that  watered  the 
famished  sons  of  Jacob,  by  calling  forth  for  us  the  bubbling  fountain  of  pure 
water,  that  we  might  drink  and  live. 

I  belonged  to  the  last  squad  of  prisoners  to  reach  our  lines.  Those  taken 
from  Andersonville  to  Lake  City,  Florida,  in  the  spring  of  1865,  and  turned 
loose  the  last  of  April,  to  find  our  lines  by  way  of  Jacksonville. 

Some  of  you  belonged  to  that  camp.  You  can  never  forget  it.  The  last  of 
April  thirty-three  hundred  of  us  were  encamped  in  that  cypress  swamp. 
In  the  evening  they  issued  to  us  an  extra  ration  of  meal.  The  next  morning 


5 


we  were  taken  down  the  road  a  few  miles  and  the  commander  of  the  guard 
made  us  a  speech,  and  turned  us  loose.  He  told  us  that  they  were  tired  of 
guarding  us — our  time  was  out.  They  were  going  to  the  front  to  fight,  and 
he  advised  us  to  go  home  and  stay  there.  He  told  us  we  could  never  conquer 
them  in  the  world.  His  whole  speech  was  a  lie.  They  were  then  included  in 
Johnson’s  surrender  to  Sherman,  and  were  ordered  to  Tallahassee  to  turn 
their  arms  over  to  the  U.  S.  Government.  We  were  told  to  follow  the  railroad 

bed,  which  would  lead  us  to  Jacksonville  or  Ave  might  go  to - ,  and  he 

named  a  country  st  ill  farther  south  than  Florida. 

The  speech  was  closed.  The  guard  opened  ranks,  and  Ave  marched  through. 

Good  b}re  Johnny.  Good  bye  Yank. 

What  a  strange  feeling.  Were  we  really  free?  After  all  the  suffering,  dis¬ 
appointment;  and  despair,  were  Ave  really  going  home  at  last?  We  asked  our¬ 
selves  over  and  over — wliat  can  it  mean?  Many  of  the  boys  were  sick  and 
feeble — not  able  to  walk.  But  in  the  wild  excitement  of  that  hour,  they 
struggled  to  their  feet,  and  started  with  us.  Some  staggered  along  a  mile, 
and  fell  by  the  roadside.  Some  went  two,  three,  four  miles,  and  lay  down 
exhausted — to  die.  The  strongest  and  healthiest  pressed  on.  Always  trying 
to  keep  at  the  head  of  the  column.  The  number  that  kept  up  grew  less  and 
less,  as  the  hours  rolled  by,  until  when  at  last  the  advance  reached  our  picket 
line,  Ave  were  scattered  along  the  entire  road  from  the  starting  point.  I  kept 
at  the  head  of  the  column.  Late  in  the  afternoon  Ave  came  to  a  cavalry  picket. 
He  took  us  to  his  command — not  far  off.  When  we  saw  the  clean  blue  uni¬ 
forms  of  the  United  States  Army,  a  loud  shout  rent  the  air.  It  Avas  taken  up 
by  others  in  the  rear,  and  carried  to  others  still  farther  back,  giving  new 
courage  and  strength  to  those  who  were  almost  exhausted  Avitli  the  weary 
march.  I  have  looked  at  fine  clothes  since  then,  but  never  saw  any  that 
looked  so  well  to  me,  as  those  cavalry  jackets  did  on  that  day.  But  if  Ave 
were  glad  to  see  their  clothes,  they  were  mad  Avlien  they  suav  ours.  When  the 
captain  of  that  troop  looked  at  our  gaunt,  starved  persons,  our  rags,  and  our 
wretchedness,  he  stood  up  in  his  stirrups  and  swore  a  terrible  oath  of  vengeance 
against  t’he  men  who  could  treat  prisoners  so. 

We  came  to  the  infantry  picket  and  dropped  down  for  a  little  rest,  and 
asked  the  news.  We  knew  nothing  of  liow  the  war  was  progressing,  since 
Hood’s  defeat  at  Nashville.  Imagine  then  the  flood  that  poured  in  upon  us 
when  the  guard  told  us  that  Richmond  had  fallen.  That  Lee  had  surrendered. 
That  Johnson  had  surrendered  to  Sherman.  That  Lincoln  was  dead. 
Probably  three  hundred  of  us  had  kept  up,  and  heard  this  news.  Language 
cannot  describe  its  effect  on  men  in  our  condition.  We  had  fallen  exhausted 
at  the  picket  line.  We  sprang  to  our  feet,  and-did  not  feel  one  bit  tired.  In 
a  kind  of  wild  frenzy  avc  started  toward  the  town  and  the  camps.  About 
half  way  we  met  a  field  band  and  colors,  coming  out  to  meet  us— the  cavalry 
picket  had  reported  that  Ave  Avere  coming.  We  were  wild  enough  when  Ave 
left  the  Johnnies.  The  fact  of  being  in  our  lines,  and  the  news  we  had  heard 


6 


put  us  ill  a  kind  of  frenzy.  But  when  we  met  that  flag  we  went  stark  ray¬ 
ing  crazy.  If  we  had  all  been  drunk  on  laughing  gas,  we  could  not  h^ve 
behaved  worse.  Old  scurvied  skeletons  that  could  not  straighten  a  limb, 
danced  around  like  puppets,  and  kicked  sand  twenty  feet  high.  Some 
shouted,  some  laughed,  some  prayed,  some  swore,  some  cried.  It  was  a  won¬ 
derful  medley.  We  had  divers  gifts  but  the  same  spirit.  I  felt  like  I  needed 
a  sinker  to  keep  me  from  floating  off  in  the  air.  I  could  have  walked  on  eggs 
without  breaking  them.  I  could  not  keep  my  face  straight,  but  would  break 
out  into  boisterous  laughter.  One  tall  ragged  skeleton  began  to  sing:  “Oh  • 
wrap  the  flag  around  me  boys,”  and  reaching  out  his  gaunt,  fleshless  arm  he 
caught  the  corner  of  the  flag,  and  began  to  wind  it  about  his  vermin  eaten 
shoulders.  Others  tried  to  join  in  his  song  and  pull  the  flag  about,  till  soon 
there  were  from  thirty  to  fifty  sprawling  under  and  over  it.  The  band  stood 
in  mute  amazement  at  the  treatment  the  flag  was  getting,  till  some  of  the  boys 
called  for  the  “Star  Spangled  Banner.”  The  band  began  to  play  and  the  boys 
to  sing.  They  got  on  somehow  till  they  came  to  the  line,  “Oh  say,  does  the 
star  spangled  banner  yet  wave,”  when  raising  one  wild  shout — yelling  “this  is 
God’s  country,”  they  rushed  onto  the  drummers  upsetting  one  another  in  the 
sand,  and  ending  all  attempts  at  music  in  one  wild  Hurra!  for  God’s 
Country. 

Yes,  I  see  it  all,  but  language  will  not  describe  it.  If  I  could  paint  for  you 
the  untrimmed  tangled  hair,  that  stood  out,  or  hung,  matted  tags  above  brows 
that  had  once  been  noble  and  fair,  but  were  now  all  blotched  and  stained  by 
disease;  if  I  could  paint  the  hollow  cheek,  the  dull  eyes,  hands  like  bird  claws 
the  filthy  vermin  covered  rags,  and  could  then  put  my  picture  through  all  the 
contortions  of  unrestrained  motion — even  then  I  could  not  tell  wliat  is  in  my 
memory.  But  enough,  you  have  felt,  you  remember. 

It  gives  a  deeper  meaning  to  that  starry  banner  that  hangs  outside  our  win¬ 
dow  to-day.  Others  cannot  feel  as  we  do  about  it.  They  have  never  missed 
it,  and  longed  for  it,  as  we  have.  They  can’t  understand  our  feelings. 

We  lay  at  Jacksonville  about  three  weeks.  One  morning  when  the  tide 
was  out,  we  waded  and  swam  far  out  into  the  sluggish  river,  Saint  John,  and 
there  pulled  off  the  filthy  rags  that  we  had  worn  out  of  Rebeldom,  and  leav¬ 
ing:  them  we  swam  ashore — it  was  a  frightful  wreck — thousands  of  lives 
were  lost  in  that  briney  deep.  But  we  drew  new,  clean  clothes,  and  from 
that  morning  till  this  day,  I  have  never  seen  any  one  that  looked  like  a  pris' 
oner  of  war. 

So  I  end  as  I  began,  Mr.  President,  and  Mr.  Mayor,  these  boys  are  putting 
up  a  job  on  you.  They  wont  do  for  prisoners. 

The  President  delivered  his  report  as  follows: 

Comrades  of  the  Iowa  Prisoners  of  War  Association:  One  year  ago  a  few 
of  us  met  together  at  the  Fair  Grounds  and  resolved  to  form  a  Prisoners’  As¬ 
sociation.  A  few  hastily  written  resolutions  were  adopted,  a  name  chosen^ 
officers  were  elected,  and  the  infant  society  was  a  fixed  fact.  Small,  it  is  true. 


7 


on  that  day,  it  has  grown  till  it  now  has  members  in  almost  every  county  in 
our  own  State,  and  very  many  neighboring  States. 

The  objects  of  the  Association  have  been  explained  in  a  circular  letter  sent 
to  most  of  you  by  our  Corresponding  Secretary. 

Allow  me  to  state  that  while  as  yet  we  have  not  fully  attained  the  end  for 
which  the  Association  was  formed,  yet  we  have  succeeded  in  securing  a  union 
of  action  not  only  in  our  own  State,  but  in  connection  with  similar  associations 
in  Illinois  and  elsewhere,  we  have  made  our  influence  felt  at  the  national 
capital. 

Our  association  has  been  ably  represented  at  Washington  by  the  Hon.  M. 
M.  Walden,  who  has  the  assurance  of  many  influential  members  of  Congress 
that  the  claims  of  prisoners  of  war  shall  be  considered  at  the  earliest  possible 

moment. 

Now,  comrades,  in  view  of  the  fact  that  you  are  asking  for  compensation 
for  disability  induced  by  cruelty  and  starvation  endured  while  in  rebel  hells 
during  the  war,  it  is  but  right  to  inquire:  Have  you  any  just  claim  on  your 
country  for  what  you  ask,  or  is  it  simply  another  raid  on  the  public  treasury? 
— a  kind  of  salary  grab,  or  steal,  as  some  very  widely  circulated  and  influ¬ 
ential  papers  are  pleased  to  term  it. 

Twenty  years  ago  our  country  was  in  want  of  men;  men  to  fight.  In  her 
mortal  agony  she  called  to  you  for  help.  You  responded,  not  as  you  are  to 
day,  weak  and  decrepit  old  men,  old  before  your  time,  but  with  youthful 
body,  and  bone  and  muscle  did  you  come.  You  “took  your  life  in  your 
hand,”  and  laid  it  on  the  altar  of  your  country  ready  for  the  sacrifice.  You 
left  the  comforts  of  home;  you  left  your  business;  you  left  perchance,  a  young 
wife  and  prattling  child,  dearer  to  you  than  all  the  world  besides,  and  went 
forth  to  battle  for  your  country;  your  body  was  lithe  and  your  good  right  arm 
was  strong;  you  performed  your  duty  well  on  many  a  hard  fought  field,  amid 
shot  and  shell  and  minnie  ball.  So  nobly  was  your  duty  done  that  your  deeds 
of  valor  won  for  you  the  post  of  honor,  and  there  in  the  fore-front  of  the 
battle,  when  your  support  wavered  and  fell  back,  you  were  surrounded  and 
compelled  to  succumb  to  superior  numbers. 

You  were  placed  in  charge  of  men  more  cruel  than  the  savage  beasts  of  the 
jungle.  You  were  crowded  together  in  prison  pens;  you  were  starved,  and 
for  the  slightest  pretense  shot  at  by  guards  placed  over  you  for  their  known 
ferocity  of  character;  just  the  tools  to  do  the  murderous  work  intended  to  be 
done  by  their  master,  Jeff  Davis.  You  who  attempted  to  escape  have. been 
torn  by  bloodhounds,  scarce  as  cruel  and  bloodthirsty  as  their  fiendish  rebel 
masters.  Some  of  you  have  cast  lots  to  determine  which  should  be  taken  out  and 
shot  to  death  in  the  morning.  You  have  seen  your  comrades  starved  to  death 
by  tens  of  thousands,  their  last  expiring  breath  being  a  cry  for  bread.  You  Save 
seen  their  dead  bodies  hauled  out  of  the  stockade  like  dead  animals  and 
dumped  into  trenches,  being  denied  the  right  of  Christian  burial.  You  have 
endured  all  this. 


8 


Secretary  Stanton  decided  on  no  exchange,  because  be  believed  and  said 
you  were  conquering  the  rebellion  faster  than  the  same  number  of  men  could 
do  in  the  field.  Perhaps  this  was  so,  but  it  was  at  a  fearful  cost  to  you. 

While  fortunate  in  escaping  from  the  stockade  with  your  life,  you  have 
been  doomed  to  suffer  the  tortures  of  disease  ever  since. 

These  are  some  of  the  reason  why  you  have  aright  to  demand  that  our  gov¬ 
ernment,  which  you  played  so  conspicuous  a  part  in  perpetuating,  should 
deal  fairly  with  you.  You  ask  no  charity  but  simple  justice,  and  comrades,  I 
believe  you  will  get  it.  The  great  heart  of  the  American  people  is  always 
right.  It  knocked  the  shackles  off  of  four  million  of  slaves,  because  it  was 
right.  It  paid  the  bonds  given  to  feed,  clothe  and  arm  the  soldier,  principal 
and  interest  in  gold,  because  it  was  right,  and  it  will  reimburse  you,  as  far  as 
money  can,  not  as  charity,  but  because  it  is  right. 

In  the  meantime,  comrades,  cherish  the  recollections  of  the  war,  cherish  the 
friendship  born  in  camp  or  field  or  prison  pen.  Sacredly  keep  the  old  me¬ 
mentoes  of  the  war. 

Have  you  a  musket,  knapsack  or  saber?  Keep  it  as  the  miser  keeps  his 
gold. 

Tell*  your  children  of  the  fearful  times  of  which  it  is  a  memento. 

Tell  them  of  the  dread  cost  it  was  to  you  to  maintain  for  them  this  grand 
fabric  of  American  liberty. 

Tell  them  to  hate  a  rebel  as  they  hate  the  demon  of  despair. 

Tell  them  his  principles  are  “more  deadly  than  the  dews  of  death.” 

Teach  them  to  love  the  old  flag — so  will  you  be  doing  your  duty  as  a  citizen 
as  you  did  it  as  a  soldier. 

Finally,  may  you  peacefully  spend  your  remaining  years;  and  when  the  last 
tattoo  has  rung  out  on  the  air,  and  the  last  taps  to  you  have  sounded  “lights 
out,”  may  you  wrap  your  blanket  about  you  and  lie  down  in  that  dreamless 
sleep  under  the  blest  hope  that  you  will  be  found  in  line  ready  to  answer 
“present”  at  roll  call  in  the  fields  of  eternal  bliss  on  the  judgment  morning. 

The  Secretary  submitted  his  report  as  follows. 

To  the  President  and  Members  of  the  Iowa  Prisoners  of  War 
Association— Gentlemen; 

When,  one  year  ago  to-day  a  number  of  Comrades  met  at  the  State 
Fair  Ground,  and  organized  this  Association,  no  one  of  us  then  predicted  for 
it  the  grand  work  and  good  results  thus  far  accomplished. 

The  origin  of  the  movement  to  pension  Ex-Union  Prisoners  of  War,  had  its 
inception  in  some  of  the  eastern  states— perhaps  in  Xew  York — a  few  years 
after  the  close  of  the  war,  and  did  not  attract  much  attention,  or  gain  much 
strength,  until  about  five  years  since,  when  a  search  of  the  records,  and  the 
testimony  of  thousands  of  victims  of  southern  prisons,  revealed  a  state  of 
facts  heretofore  unknown.  And  when  it  was  learned  from  the  Hon.  Com¬ 
missioner  of  Pensions/that  there  were  thousands  of  claims  on  tile  in  that  de 
partment,  for  disabilities  arising  from  confinement  in  southern  military  pris- 


9 


ons,  and  in  a  large  majority  of  such  cases,  these  claimants  could  not  furnish 
the  evidence  required  to  establish  their  said  claims  under  the  present  pension 
laws,  the  movement  to  compel  congress  to  grant  pensions  to  all  ex-prisoners 
gained  new  life  and  momentum,  until  to-day,  state  and  local  organizations  are 
to  be  found  in  nearly  every  northern  state,  as  well  as  a  national  Union  with 
head-quarters  in  New  York. 

The  following  reference  to  the  record  of  mortality  in  southern  prisons,, 
quoted  from  an  appeal  of  the  New  York  association,  will  serve,  my  purpose 
better  than  an  attempted  presentation  of  the  question. 

"The  record  at  Washington,  D.  C.,  shows  that  during  the  war  of  the  rebell¬ 
ion  180.000  Union  Soldiers  were  captured  by  the  enemy,  of  which  25,000  or 
80,000  are  believed  to  be  living,  who  remained  true  to  their  flag  amid  the  dark¬ 
ness  and  gloom  of  many  Southern  Military  Prisons,  in  the  years  1864  and  win¬ 
ter  of  1865.” 

"The  rate  of  mortality  among  these  men  since  the  close  of  the  war  has  been 
over  17  per  cent,  and  we  make  the  assertion,  without  fear  of  contradiction, 
that  of  those  yet  living  there  is  not  one  among  them  physically  who  can  do  a 
good  day’s  work,  and  at  the  present  rate  of  mortality  few  will  be  living  15 
years  hence.” 

"In  asking  you  to  consider  the  claims  of  the  survivors,  it  is  but  necessary  to 
refer  3^011  to  the  records  of  the  United  States  Government,  as  set  forth  in  the 
report  to  the  second  session  of  the  40th  Congress,  1867  and  1868,  trial  of 
Henry  Wirtz,  the  evidence  therein  consists  of  many  kinds  from  many  direc¬ 
tions,  from  officers,  soldiers,  and  citizens,  speaking  in  the  interest  and  for  the 
good  of  the  rebel  government,  from  persons  under  a  strong  sense  of  the 
wrongs  done  the  Union  Prisoners,  from  disinterested  observers,  neither  in  the 
one  or  the  other  army,  and  from  the  imprisoned  themselves,  history  has  never 
presented  a  scene  of  gigantic  human  sufferings,  we  ask  37ou  to  consider  the 
testimony  drawn  from  many  sources.  First,  the  opinions  of  Medical  Officers 
in  the  service  of  the  rebel  government  on  duty  at  Andersonville,  Libby,  Belle 
Island,  Macon,  Florence,  Charleston,  Savannah,  Camp  Tyler,  and  others,  at 
the  time  of  these  sufferings.  Second,  the  opinions  of  rebel  officers  assigned  to 
the  special  duty  of  investigating  the  condition  of  affairs  at  the  different  mili- 
t  ary  prisons,  together  with  the  records  of  each  prison.  Third,  the  opinions  of 
officers  and  soldiers  of  the  Rebel  Army  on  duty  at  Andersonville  and  else 
where.  Fourth,  the  observation  of  persons  residing  in  the  vicinity  during 
this  period  and  who  paid  frequent  visits  to  Andersonville,  and  other  Southern 
Military  Prisons.  Fifth,  the  testimony  of  prisoners  themselves,  Soldiers  of 
the  Union  who  were  themselves  sufferers,  see  pages  731  to  831  inclusive.” 

"The  number  of  patients  treated  in  the  hospital  at  Andersonville  is  shown 
by  the  register  to  have  been  something  less  than  18,000,  and  the  deaths  a 
little  short  of  13,000,  and  to  this  number  must  be  added  over  3,000  before 
reaching  their  homes,  making  in  all  15,000,  and  this  falls  short  of  the  maxim 
number,  giving  the  frightful  rates  of  mortality  of  over  83  per  cent.” 


10 


“We  find  that  the  average  mortality  of  the  London  Hospitals  is  9  per  cent. 
In  the  French  Hospitals,  in  the  Crimea,  for  a  period  of  22  months  the  mortal¬ 
ity  was  14  per  cent;  the  city  of  Milan  received  during  the  campaign  in  Italy 
34,000  sick  and  wounded,  of  whom  1,400,  or  4  per  cent,  died;  the  city  of  Nash¬ 
ville,  Tenn.,  received  during  the  year  1864,  65,157  sick  and  wounded,  of  whom 
2,635,  or  4  per  cent,  died.  During  the  year  1863,  Washington,  I).  C.,  received 
68,884,  and  of  these  2,671,  or  less  than  4  per  cent,  died,  and  in  1864,  her  hospi¬ 
tals  received  95,705  sick  and  wounded,  49,455  sick,  47,250  wounded,  of  whom 
6,283,  or  6  and  l-10th  died.” 

“The  mortality  of  the  rebel  prisoners  at  Fort  Delaware  for  11  months  was  2 
per  cent,  Johnson’s  Island  during  21  months,  134  deaths  out  of  6,000  pris¬ 
oners.” 

“This  is  the  records  of  history  against  the  charnal  house  of  Anderson ville, 
and  let  this  be  known  it  was  but  one  of  the  prison  pens  of  the  South,  let  the 
mouths  of  those  who  would  defend  these  atrocities  by  recriminations  charg¬ 
ing  the  United  States  Government  with  like  cruelties  forever  hereafter  be 
closed.  Fort  Delaware  and  Johnson’s  Island  with  2  per  cent,  Andcrson- 
ville  with  its  83  per  cent.  Let  no  mind  be  it  ever  so  biased  by  treasonable 
sympathies  doubt  this  record  for  if  not  lost  to  all  sense  it  must  be  believed.” 

“You  are  aware  that  in  the  early  part  of  the  war  up  to  July,  1863,  exchanges 
of  prisoners  were  made  regularly,  but  about  the  commencement  of  1864,  when 
the  confederacy  began  to  show  signs  of  weakness,  they  were  stopped.  At  this 
time  the  United  States  Government  held  a  large  excess  of  prisoners,  and  the 
rebels  were  anxious  to  exchange  man  for  man,  rank  for  rank,  but  our  author¬ 
ities  acted  upon  the  theory  of  Edward  M.  Stanton,  Secretary  of  War,  that  we 
could  not  afford  to  give  well  fed,  rugged  men  for  invalids  and  skeletons,  that 
returned  prisoners  were  infinitely  more  value  to  the  rebels  than  to  us,  while 
the  larger  body  of  Confederates  held  at  the  North  were  in  good  health,  and 
would  be  ready  for  battle  the  moment  they  were  exchanged;  to  exchange, 
therefore,  would  be  bad  policy,  so  the  order  went  forth  that  these  men  who 
were  in  the  rebel  prison  pens,  must  be  sacrificed  for  the  good  of  the  cause, 
thus  compelling  the  Union  prisoners- to  do  double  duty,  in  addition  to  the  ter¬ 
rible  sufferings  endured  therein,  see  ‘Conduct  of  War — Supplement,  Part  2.’ 
Report  of  Major  General  E.  H.  Hitchcock,  U.  S.  A.  Commissioner  of  Ex¬ 
change,  on  the  subject  of  exchange,  wherein  he  states  it  was  most  deplorable 
and  shocking  upon  individuals  for  the  time  being,  but  no  one  whose  eyes  are, 
open  can  fail  to  see  that  it  become  in  many  ways  a  signal  step  under  the 
guidance  of  providence  for  bringing  the  rebel  cause  to  destruction.” 

“Again,  Gen.  Grant  in  a  letter  to  Gen.  Benjamin  F.  Butler,  said,  it  is  hard 
on  our  men  in  Southern  prisons  not  to  exchange  them,  but  if  we  now  com¬ 
mence  a  system  of  exchange  which  liberates  all  prisoners  taken,  we  will  have 
to  fight  on  until  the  whole  South  is  exterminated,  if  we  hold  those  captured 
they  count  for  more  than  dead  men.” 

“Much  more  evidence  could  be  brought  before  you  to  prove  the  great  and  ter- 


11 


rible  decision  of  tlic  officers  of  our  Government  who  left  us  to  suffer  and  die’ 
this  after  rendering  faithful  service  to  the  cause  of  liberty  and  union.  The  of 
ticer  or  private  soldier  who  neglects  his  duty  in  the  presence  of  the  enemy  is 
taken  out  and  shot;  our  officials  seemed  to  forget  that  the  soldiers  obligation 
of  obedience  devolves  upon  the  government  the  obligation  of  protection.  It 
was  clearly  the  duty  of  our  authorities  to  exchange  our  soldiers,  or  to  protect 
them  by  well  considered  systematic  retaliation  in  kind,  until  the  rebel  author¬ 
ities  should  treat  prisoners  of  war  with  ordinary  humanity,  according  to  the 
usage  of  honorable  warfare.” 

“Again,  the  official  report  of  Lieut.  Gen.  J.  B.  Hood,  C.  S.  A.,  see  advance 
and  retreat  by  Gen.  J.  B.  Hood,  page  324,  we  find  the  following:  the  34,000 
prisoners  at  Andersonville,  Ga.,  in  my  rear  compelled  me  to  place  the  army 
between  them  and  the  enemy,  thus  preventing  me  at  that  time  from  moving 
on  his,  ‘Gen.  Sherman’s  communications  and  destroying  his  depots  of  sup¬ 
plies  at  Marietta.” 

“If  those  acts  were  carried,  and  these  words  were  true,  and  it  is  certain  that 
this  policy  was  adopted  and  carried  out,  did  not  those  men  in  southern  pris  - 
ons,  in  addition  to  the  many  battles  they  passed  through  in  the  months  and 
years  of  service  previous  to  capture,  play  an  important  part  in  the  suppres¬ 
sion  of  the  rebellion!” 

“While  the  exposures  incidental  to  army  life  were  severe,  and  cost  the 
health  and  life  of  many,  it  was  not  to  be  compared  to  what  one  suffered  in 
the  prison  pens  of  South.” 

It  was  impossible  for  one  to  spend  any  length  of  time  there  without  injury 
to  both  physical  and  mental  faculties,  thousands  suffered  with  wounds  re¬ 
ceived  in  battle,  thousands  died  after  liberation,  and  those  who  live  to-day  are 
total  wrecks,  many  both  in  body  and  mind,  thousands  of  them  are  suffering 
from  such  exposure  and  starvation,  and  will  continue  to  do  so  uncomplain¬ 
ingly  until  a  great  republic  they  helped  to  save,  shall  do  them  justice.” 

“They  remained  there  by  the  sanction  of  their  own  government,  doing  a 
double  duty  as  an  extreme  war  measure  untold  of  in  all  history,  an  inexcusa¬ 
ble  cruelty  to  thousands  of  aching  hearts,  and  the  story  of  their  tortures  and 
sufferings  is  a  part  of  the  history  of  this  country  and  the  blackest  page  in  the 
book.” 

“Yet  the  lamps  of  their  loyalty  burned  with  brightness,  they  never  de¬ 
nounced  the  government  which  neglected  them,  they  never  desponded  through 
the  gloomiest  days  when  difference  in  the  cabinet  and  defeats  in  the  field 
threatened  to  ruin  the  Union  cause,  they  seldom  yielded  an  iota  of  principle 
to  their  cruel  keepers,  hungry,  cold  and  naked,  waiting  through  slow  months 
and  years,  thousands  sick,  thousands  dying,  they  continued  true  as  steel,  his¬ 
tory  has  few  such  records  of  steadfast  devotion.” 

“Charity  is  not  asked  only  for  what  they  earned  and  justly  their  due,  let  it  lie 

remembered  that  if  any  of  the  soldiers  in  the  war  for  the  Union  earned  what 

« / 

the  United  States  Government  paid,  or  will  ever  pay  them,  the  men  who 


12 


fought  in  many  battles  and  endured  the  terrible  sufferings  in  Southern  Mili¬ 
tary  Prisons  are  first  among  that  number.” 

OUR  WORK 

In  accordance  with  instructions  at  the  last  meeting,  the  press  of  the  state 
were  requested,  and  generously  assisted  in  giving  publicity  to  our  objects  and 
purposes.  We  also  sent  a  large  number  of  posters,  to  the  post  offices  of  the 
state,  that  our  association  might  the  better  become  known ;  and,  as  a  result  of 
that  work,  we  are  glad  to  report  an  enrollment  of  over  550.  As  soon  as  the  ex- 
istance  of  our  organization  became  known,  the  mails  brought  communications, 
from  all  over  Iowa,  Nebraska,  Minnesota,  Kansas  and  northern  Missouri,  as 
well  as  a  number  of  other  states,  and  our  office  to  some  extent,  was  regarded 
as  a  general  Bureau,  for  the  dissemination  of  intelligence  touching  almost 
every  known  subject,  from  the  Homestead  law,  to  every  measure  before  the 
last  Congress.  This  of  course  necessitated  a  large  amount  of  correspondence 
and  a  corresponding  outlay  of  postage  and  printing,  as  well  as  an  incalculable 
amount  of  time,  a  portion  of  which  was  supplied  with  hired  assistance. 

A  Roll  Book  has  been  procured,  which  contains  the  name  of  each  comrade, 
with  his  address,  company,  regiment  and  prison  history  so  far  as  the  same 
has  been  furnished  us. 

OUR  WORK  WITH  CONGRESS. 

When  the  time  approached,  during  last  winter,  when  it  was  expected  that  a 
combined  effort  would  bejnade  to  compel  congress  to  act  on  this  question, 
we  mailed  over  six  hundred  petitions  to  as  many  persons,  and  instructed  that 
vigorous  work  should  be  done  at  once,  and  petitions  returned  without  unnec¬ 
essary  delay.  Many  however,  instead  of  returning  petitions  as  instructed,  sent 
the  same  directly  to  Washington,  hence  we  have  no  definite  knowledge  of  the 
exact  number  of  petitions  sent  from  Iowa. 

There  were  forwarded  by  your  secretary  to  Hon.  M.  M.  Walden  at  Washing¬ 
ton,  128  petitions  containing  over  4,500  names,  and  so  far  as  I  have  been  ad¬ 
vised,  the  names  were  those  of  the  most  influential  citizens  and  citizen  sol¬ 
diers,  in  our  state. 

During  the  month  of  March  last,  Hon.  M.  M.  Walden  of  Centerville,  was 
appointed  to  represent  the  interests  of  this  association  at  Washington;  and 
inasmuch  as  he  has  promised  to  be  present,  he  will  doubtless  take  pleasure  in 
making  a  full  report  of  his  mission.  During  their  session  last  February,  our 
legislature  was  asked  to  memorialize  congress  in  behalf  of  same  measure  gran¬ 
ting  pensions  to  Prisoners  of  War.  This  memorial  though  favored  and  re¬ 
ported  by  the  House  and  Senate  Committees,  passed  neither  branch  of  the  leg¬ 
islature  and  was  permitted  to  undergo  the  “smothering  process”  and  was  never 
heard  of  afterwards. 

OUR  EXPENSES. 

A  full  and  itemized  statement  of  expenses  is  herewith  submitted,  showing 
the  amounts  received  and  expended  during  the  past  year.  In  view  of  the 
large  amount  of  work  done  since  the  last  meeting,  the  expenses  have  been 


K 3 


comparatively  light,  and  include  only  the  actual  expense  incurred,  without 
reference  to  the  labor  performed,  and  of  which  no  account  has  been  made— our 
organization  has  now  been  completed,  and  the  members  generally  fully  advised 
of  the  progress  made  toward  national  legislation. 

The  expenses  of  the  ensuing  year,  for  postage,  printing  and  stationery 
ought  not  to  exceed  -$150.00,  and  this  plan  of  imparting  information,  changed 
to  one  involving  less  labor  and  expense. 

CONTINGENT  EXPENSES. 

In  order  to  provide  for  such  expenses  as  may  become  incident  to  the  work 
of  the  next  year,  I  would  suggest  that  a  fixed  fee  for  membership  be  charged, 
as  well  as  a  nominal  fee  for  yearly  dues.  This  may  become  necessary,  from 
the  fact  that  a  large  percentage  of  our  comrades  are  poor  men,  and,  as  many 
have  expressed  themselves  already,  are  unable  to  contribute  even  the  small 
amount  required,  while  others,  with  hearts  as  generous,  are  willing  to  contrib¬ 
ute  any  reasonable  amount  required  in  the  prosecution  of  our  work. 

LOCAL  AND  STATE  ORGANIZATION. 

I  would  suggest  that  the  work  of  this  office  could  be  facilitated  and  assisted 
by  a  thorough  and  systematic  organization  of  every  county  in  the  state. .  Let 
local  organizations  be  formed  and  some  competent  and  energetic  comrade 
have  charge  of  the  enrollment  of  his  own  county  and  let  him  supervise  the 
work  and  organization  of  lii§  own  district  and  collect  and  impart  such  infor¬ 
mation  and  perform  such  other  duties  as  may  be  required  at  his  hands  by  this 
association.  I  merely  make  this  as  a  suggestion,  trusting  in  your  wisdom  for 
some  plan,  by  which  a  thorough  and  systematic  organization  of  our  forces 
may  be  made  throughout  the  state. 

OUR  FUTURE  WORK. 

It  seems  to  be  a  well  settled  fact,  that  the  multitude  of  measures  intro¬ 
duced  during  the  47th  Congress  will  result  in  an  agreement  upon  some  meas¬ 
ure  that  will  be  just  and  equitable  in  its  provisions,  and  at  the  same  time  unite 
the  support  of  all  the  state  and  local  organizations.  When  this  has  been  ac¬ 
complished,  such  pressure  and  influence  must  be  brought  to  bear  upon  the  next 
Congress,  as  will  compel  them  to  respect  the  will  of  the  people,  expressed  in  an 
emphatic  and  decisive  manner. 

Preliminary  to  all  this  let  us 

1.  Enlist  the  assistance  of  the  press.  Furnish  them  with  facts  and  figures 
and  see  that  the  work  of  agitation  is  prosecuted  with  determined  vigor. 

2.  Our  Representatives  in  Congress  must  be  made  to  understand  the  jus¬ 
tice  and  merit  of  this  movement. 

Individual  and  personal  appeals  must  be  made.  Letters  must  be  written 
by  each  member  of  the  Association,  and  flie  agitation  of  this  question  kept 
before  the  people  until  such  a  sentiment  has  been  aroused  as  will  at  least 
compel  the  necessary  legislation  in  our  behalf. 

There  has  never  been  a  time  in  the  history  of  our  country  since  the  close  of 
the  war,  when  the  government  could  so  well  afford  to  provide  for  the  pension- 


I 


14 

ing  of  our  comrades  as  tlie  present,  and  this  seems  an  auspicious  time  indeed 
for  agitation  of  this  question,  and  I  trust  each  comrade  will  feel  in  duty 
bound  to  keep  up  the  fire  all  along  the  line  until  every  worthy  comrade  has 
been  provided  for  in  some  manner  commensurate  with  his  condition. 

In  conclusion. 

My  duties,  taken  in  connection  with  my  employment,  have  been  arduous 
at  times,  and  I  sometimes  felt  that  I  ought  in  justice  to  the  association,  resign, 
and,  but  for  the  kindly  encouragement  of  your  President  and  the  warm  heart¬ 
ed  and  patriotic  words  of  cheer  received  from  many  of  the  comrades  who  as 
yet  are  strangers  to  me,  I  would  have  given  up  in  dispair  and  surrendered  un¬ 
conditionally.  The  correspondence  has  been  very  large  indeed  as  the  bundles 
of,  letters  in  my  possesion  will  abundantly  testify,  and  in  some  instances,  I 
may  have  been  tardy  in  replying,  or  in  others  where  the  questions  asked  were 
not  important,  I  may  have  made  no  reply.  But  I  trust  you  comrades,  will  in 
your  charity,  remember  the  many  disadvantages  and  perplexities  labored 
under. 

I  desire  further  in  this  connection,  to  express  gratitude  to  the  comrades  for 
the  generous  sympathy  and  courteous  treatment  accorded  me  and  trust  that 
the  deliberations  of  this  meeting  will  result  in  cementing  us  together  more 
firmly  in  that  common  bond  of  sympathy  and  patriotism  that  the  accomplish¬ 
ment  of  our  cherished  purposes  will  be  only  a  question  of  a  short  time. 

Fraternally  Submitted,  . 

J.  J.  STUCKEY, 

Sept.  7th.  1882  Corresponding  Secretary 


>5 


ITEMIZED  LIST  OF  EXPENSES. 


1881 

PRINTING  AND  STATIONERY. 

Oct. 

8 

500  Cards  2  sides 

$4.00 

45 

44 

1500  Envelopes  printed 

4.50 

44 

45 

600  2  pg.  Circulars 

3.50 

45 

12 

Vi  Ream  note  heads 

1.50 

Nov. 

1 

Printing  100  postal  card  recipts 

.75 

45 

16 

1,000  Circulars,  objects,  etc 

6.25 

44 

45 

500 

1.75 

44 

54 

500  Manilla  envelopes 

1.50 

44 

24 

1  Ream  note  heads 

3.50 

it 

55 

500  Manilla  envelopes 

1.50 

Dec. 

31 

250  Certificates  of  Membership— parchment,  gold  and  colors 

18.00 

4  4 

55 

600  Large  hand  bills— posters 

2.50 

Jan. 

24 

800  Circulars  4  pgs. 

10.00 

44 

55 

250  Cards 

1.50 

4  4 

25 

400  Blank  petitions 

3  50 

54 

54 

400  Circulars 

1.50 

44 

28 

5  0  Manilla  envelopes  No.  10 

2.50 

Feb. 

10 

300  Petitions 

3.00 

45 

18 

350  Heads  for  petitions 

1.50 

Aug. 

17 

750  Envelopes 

2.50 

54 

45 

750  Circulars  No.  4 

3.50 

44 

44- 

100  Slips  for  Certificates 

POSTAGE  ACCOUNT. 

1.00 

$79.75 

1881 

Sept. 

10 

Postage 

$3  00 

55 

15 

54 

2.50 

44 

25 

45 

2.50 

Oct. 

1 

44 

1.25 

54 

10 

44 

6.00 

44 

12 

54 

3.00 

45 

16 

45 

3.(0 

Nov. 

1 

44 

6.00 

44 

10 

45 

3(0 

54 

15 

44 

3.00 

44 

18 

44 

1.50 

Jan. 

25 

54 

4.75 

44 

29 

^  “ 

1.50 

Feb. 

5 

44 

6.00 

Apr. 

3 

44 

1.50 

June 

1 

45 

1.50 

Aug. 

1 

44 

2.00 

44 

17 

45 

7.50 

44 

25 

5  4 

ASSISTANCE. 

3.50 

$60.00 

1881 

Nov. 

25 

Paid 

$6.00 

Feb. 

10 

45 

5.00 

Sept. 

19 

44 

TELEGRAMS. 

3.50 

$14.50 

Mar.  5  Telegram  Springfield  $1.30 

“  7  “  Detroit  1.00 

“  New  York  1  60 

Apr.  8  “  Washington  2.30 


$6.20 

SUNDRIES. 

Ribbon  for  Certificates  $1.75 

Seals  “  “  2.00 

Expressage  on  petitions  to  Washington  .60 

Seal  for  Association  7.00 

Roll  Books  6.50 


$17..85> 


i6 


RECAPITULATION . 


Printing-  and  Stationery  $79.75 

Postage  Account  6  LOO 

Assistance  14.50 

Telegrams  6.20 

Sundries  as  per  bill  17.85 


Total  Expense  $181.30 

Total  amount  paid  out  $181.30 

“  “  received  138.00 


Balance  over  paid  $43.30 


On  motion,  the  report  of  the  Secretary  was  unanimously  adopted. 

On  motion,  a  vote  of  thanks  was  tendered  the  President  and  Secretary  for 
their  service  during  the  past  year — carried  unanimously. 

•  On  motion  of  H.  C.  Curtis,  of  Le  Mars,  the  following  committees  were  ap¬ 
pointed: 

Organization  and  By  Laws — H.  C.  Curtis,  Le  Mars;  John  Whitten, 
Keosauqua;  W.  F.  Conrad,  Des  Moines;  W.  D.  Lucas,  Ames;  and  W.  G. 
Templeton,  Sidney. 

Finance: — Abner  Dunham,  Manchester;  W.  B.  Bell,  Washington;  J.  D.  Mc- 
Yay,  Lake  City. 

On  motion  a  vote  of  thanks  was  tendered  the  Citizens  of  Des  Moines  for 
courtesies  extended. 

Maj.  A.  J.  Holmes,  of  Boone,  being  present  was  called  out  and  made  a  short 
ringing  address,  giving  assurance  of  his  support  in  any  and  every  measure 
calculated  to  benefit  the  soldiers. 

'  ). 

Hon.  Moses  A.  McCoid,  of  Fairfield  was  also  present  by  invitatio:  and 
manifested  sympathy  with  our  work,  and  promised  assistance  in  Congress. 
Association  adjourned  at  12  o’clock  to  meet  at  2  o’clock. 

AFTERNOON  SESSION. 

Meeting  called  to  order  at  2  o’clock  p.  m. 

Pending  report  of  committees,  the  following  letters  were  read: 

Des  Moines,  August  22,  1882. 

J.  J.  STUCKEY,  Esq.,  Corresponding  Sec.,  Des  Moines. 

Dear  Sir:  I  have  yours  of  yesterday,  inviting  me  to  be  present  at  the  annual  ses¬ 
sion  of  the  Iowa  Prisoners  of  War  Association  to  be  held  on  the  7th  prox. 

I  will  be  present,  unless  prevented  by  some  unforseen  reason, 

Very  truly  yours, 

John  A.  Kasson. 

Springfield,  Ohio,  August  30,  1882. 

J.  E.  WILKINS,  Prest.  Iowa  Pris.  of  War  Asso.,  Des  Moines,  Iowa 

My  Dear  Comrade:— Responding  to  your  circular  letter  of  Aug.  17th  I  have  to  say 
that  it  will  be  impossible  for  me  to  meet  the  Asso.  on  the  7th  prox. 

I  was  not  a  prisoner  of  war  by  great  good  fortune,  but  I  believe  in  doing  them  full 
justice  if  possible.  Tt  is  hardly  possible.  The  nation  could  at  least  testify  its  good  will 
in  that  direction. 

You  will  have  a  grand  gathering  of  the  long-suffering,  heroic  men  of  the  late  war. 
I  send  them  greeting. 

Yours  most  truly. 

J.  Warren  Iveifer. 

Washington,  D.  C.*  August  30th,  1882. 
CAPT.  J.  J.  Stuckey,  Corresponding  Sec’y,  Des  Moines,  Iowa. 

Dear  Sir:— Your  kind  letter  of  the  23d,  enclosing  invitation  to  attend  the  meeting  of 
the  Iowa  Prisoners  of  War  Association  on  September  7th  is  received. 


27 


My  duties  here  will  keep  me  from  Iowa  at  the  time,  but  none  the  less  do  I  appreci¬ 
ate  by  this  kindly  remembrance. 

1  sincerely  hope  that  you  will  have  a  large  attendance  and  a  good  time  for  none  in 
the  country  deserve  a  better  time  than  the  brave  fellows  who  suffered  in  Southern 
prisons. 

Very  truly  yours, 

D.  B.  Henderson. 


Fort  Dodge,  Iowa,  September  2d,  1882. 

Capt.  j.  J.  STCJCKEY,  Des  Moines,  Iowa, 

My  Dear  Sir: — I  have  your  invitation  to  be  present  at  the  Re-union  of  the  Iowa 
Prisoners  of  War  Association,  Des  Moines,  on  the  7th  inst.  I  would  like  to  be  present,  be¬ 
cause  I  would  like  to  take  each  member  by  the  hand  and  look  him  in  the  eyes;  and  also 
because  I  am  anxious  to  do  whatever  I  can  to  aid  in  securing  the  passage  of  a  la  v  to 
pension  every  one  who,  in  the  time  of  duty,  was  captured  and  suffered  the  horrors  of  a 
Rebel  prison  But  I  fear  I  will  not  be  able  to  leave  home  at  the  time  of  your  meeting. 
W  ishing  every  member  of  the  association  a  happy  time  and  a  comfortable  future. 

I  am  yours  truly, 

C.  C.  Carpenter. 

Osage,  Iowa,  August  28th,  1882. 

J.  J.  STUCKEY,  Esq.,  Corresponding  Sec  ,  Des  Moines,  Iowa. 

Dear  Sir:  — I  have  your  letter  of  23d  inst,  in  which  you  invite  me  to  be  present  on 
the  7th  prox.  at  the  annual  Meeting  and  re-union  of  the  Iowa  Prisoners  of  War  Associa¬ 
tion;  and  have  to  say  in  reply  that  other  engagements  at  that  time  will  prevent  attend¬ 
ance,  which  I  regret,  as  I  am  heartily  in  sympathy  with  your  Association  and  its  objects 
if  I  properly  understand  them.  I  am  not  of  that  number  who  believe  there  i^  dan¬ 
ger  that  the  Government  will  do  too  much  for  those  who  went  out  and  saved  its  life  at 
the  risk  and  often  at  the  expense  of  their  own,  in  the  time  of  great  peril. 

Thanking  you  for  the  kind  invitation,  I  am. 

Very  truly  yours, 

N*  C.  Deering. 

McGregor,  Iowa,  August  29th,  1882. 

J.  J.  STUCKEY,  Esq.,  Secretary,  Des  Moines,  Iowa. 

Dear  Sir I  am  just  in  receipt  of  your  kind  invitation  to  attend  the  Annual  Meeting 
of  the  Iowa  War  Prisoners  Association  on  the  7th  prox.  I  regret  toat  an  engagement 
at  Cresco  will  prevent  my  accepting. 

Wishing  your  organization  success  and  realizing  its  propriety  and  importance,  I  am 

Very  truly  yours, 

Thos.  Updegraff. 

Hon.  Jno.  A.  Kasson  was  called  for,  when  Secretary  stated  that  that  gen¬ 
tleman  had  cime  into  the  room  in  the  forenoon  and  excused  himself,  by  say¬ 
ing  that  he  had  promised,  and  desired  to  go  to  the  Fair  ground  with  Senator 
Allison  and  Hon.  Geo.  B.  Loring,  Commissioner  of  agriculture,  and  requested 
that  some  hour  later  in  the  day  be  named,  when  the  Secretary  asked  him  to 
be  present  at  2  p.  m.  if  posssible.  Mr.  Kasson  promised  attendance  at  the 
hour  named,  if  it  were  possible.  The  Secretary  also  stated  in  this  connection 
that  letters  of  invitation  had  been  sent  to  every  member  of  Congress  from 
Iowa,  and  Senators  Allison  and  McDill;  inviting  them  to  be  present. 

Hon.  M.  M.  Walden,  delegate  to  Washington,  having  been  detained  at  home, 
the  following  correspondence  touching  his  mission  in  Washington  was  read. 

Washington,  D.  C  March  14th,  1882. 

J.  J.  STUCKEY,  Esq.,  Corresponding  Secy,  Pris.  Asso.  Des  Moines,  Iowa. 

My  bear  Sir:— Musgrove  informs  me  that  the  Bliss  bill  shHl  be  reported  favorably 
this  week  (Thursday)  and  Speaker  Keifer  says  it  shall  receive  early  consideration.  I 
must  go  home  at  once  and  may  return.  I  find  sentiment  much  divided  but  think  the 
measure  will  pass  in  some  form.  BJiss  wishes  me  to  stay  and  go  before  the  committee 
Thursday,  but  my  affairs  at  home  demand  my  attention. 

Very  truly  yours, 

M.  M.  Walden. 

Centerville,  Iowa,  April  10th,  1882. 

To  J.  J.  STUCKEY,  Esq.,  Des  Moines,  Iowa. 

My  Dear  Sir:— Your  letter  received,  I  regret  to  hear  of  your  illness.  While  in 
Washington  I  had  not  time  fully  to  inform  you  as  to  every  thing  in  connection  with  our 
measure. 

A  dozen  bills  (or  more)  had  been  presented  to  Congress.  The  Bliss  bill,  which  your 
Society  petitioned  for,  was  in  the  hands  of  a  seclect  committee  and  had  been  given  to 
Mr.  Mosgrove  of  Pennsylvania  for  investigation  and  report. 

Bliss  informed  me,  when  he  found  that  the  bill  had  been  so  disposed  of,  that  in 
his  opinion  the  measure  would  repose  there  till  the  end  of  the  session,  as  Mosgrove  is 


rich,  an  iron  man,  a  banker  and  a  democrat.  But  Mosgrove  informed  me  after  an  hours 
talk,  that  he  would  support  the  bill  in  committee  and  in  the  House  of  Representatives. 
He  said  he  would  report  the  bill  at  once  to  committee  and  try  to  secure  favorable  action 
in  committee  and  in  the  House. 

The  Iowa  Members,  I  think,  will  all  support  the  bill  in  the  House.  The  Speaker 
also  is  frendly.  I  have  little  if  any  doubt  as  to  the  passage  of  the  bill  if  it  can  be 
brought  before  the  House.  The  trouble  is,  too  many  members  wish  to  be  the  author  of 
the  bill. 

For  want  of  funds,  I  did  not  remain  longer  in  Washington,  still  I  am  glad  I  went, 
and  I  did  good  work  for  the  bill  though  it  may  never  appear.  I  am  with  great  respect, 

Your  friend  and  servant, 

M.  M.  Walden. 

August,  27th,  1882. 

Mr.  STUCKEY,  Corresponding  Secy.,  Iowa  Pris.  of  War  A=so.,  Des  Moines,  Iowa. 

My  Dear  Stuckey I  hope  you  may  have  a  large  attendance  and  also  a  profitable 
meeting  on  the  7th  prox.  It  is  possible  I  shall  not  attend,  as  1  am  engaged  in  building 
a  new  residence  at  Centerville,  and  my  attention  at  home  is  needed  every  day. 

I  have  little  to  add  to  my  letter  to  you  on  my  return  from  Washington  last  spring. 

In  my  opinion  it  is  only  a  question  of  time  when  every  U.  S.  soldier  who  languished 
in  a  rebel  prison  will  be  in  part  compensated  by  a  pension;  and  the  day  is  not  far  dis¬ 
tant. 

All  that  Congressmen  need  to  know  is  that  public  opinion  will  sustain  them  and  the 
measure  will  pass.  Organize,  agitate,  and  make  your  influence  felt  at  the  caucus  and 
ballot  box  Delegates  should  press  upon  Congress  the  justice  of  the  bill.  Last  winter  I 
found  present  no  delegates  from  any  of  the  states.  Respectfully, 

Your  obt.  servant, 

M.M.  Walden 

The  press  could  do  much  to  aid  us  if  enlisted  in  our  cause.  Let  ex-prisoners  of 
war  also  nuke  personal  appeals  to  candidates  for  Congress  while  canvassing  for  votes 
this  fall.  Every  one  can  help  the  movement. 

On  motion  of  Abner  Dunham  the  roll  was  called. 

Comrade, - referred  in  severe  terms  to  the  unfair  and  unjust  treatment  of 

the  Des  Moines  Board  of  U.  S.  Pension  examiners,  and  suggested  that  a 
united  effort  ought  to  be  put  forth,  asking  for  their  removal,  and  the  appoint¬ 
ment  of  men  who  had  more  sympathy  for  soldiers. 

H.  C.  Curtis  asked  further  time  for  committee  on  organization  and  by-laws, 
which  on  motion  was  granted,  with  the  understanding  that  no  report  could  be 
made  at  this  session. 

On  motion,  the  membership  fee  was  fixed  at  $1.00  to  include  a  handsome  cer¬ 
tificate  of  membership,  and  the  annual  dues  at  $1.00. 

Comrade  Geo.  See  asked  to  have  his  name  stricken  from  roll, — on  motion, 
granted  one  year  for  repentance  and  a  reconsideration. 

On  motion,  the  name  of  11.  A.  Rodin,  Co.  K.,  17th  la.  Vols.,  was  stricken 
from  the  roll  for  alleged  oath  of  allegiance  to  the  Southern  Confederacy  while 
in  prison.  The  statement  in  verification  of  above  charge  was  made  by  sever¬ 
al  comrades,  and  motion  prevailed. 

On  motion,  J.  E.  Wilkins  was  unanimously  re-elected  as  president  for  en¬ 
suing  year.  Mr.  W.  declined  but  was  compelled  to  accept. 

On  motion  of  Col.  Bell,  J.  J.  Stuckey  was  unanimously  re-elected  as  Secre¬ 
tary  and  pending  election  asked  to  be  relieved,  but  was  promised  such  assist¬ 
ance  as  lie  might  require. 

On  motion,  Capt.  J.  S.  Anderson  of  Des  Moines  was  elected  as  Treasuer. 

On  motion,  the  Grand  Army  Advocate  of  this  city  edited  by  W.  T.  Wilk¬ 
inson  was  adopted  as  the  official  organ  of  the  association. 

A  request  was  extended  members  to  come  toward  and  pay  dues.  Finance 
committee  reported  association  out  of  debt  with  balance  of  $2.50  in  treasury. 


The  executive  committee  on  motion  were  authorized  to  select  such  comrades 
as  they  deemed  proper  to  prosecute  the  work  of  organization  in  each  county  in 
the  state. 

On  motion,  an  executive  committee  was  appointed  as  follows, — J.  E.  Wil¬ 
kins,  Des  Moines;  J.  J.  Stuckey,  Des  Moines;  J.  S.  Anderson,  Des  Moines; 
W..  F.  Conrad,  Des  Moines:  M.  T.  Russell,  Des  Moines;  W.  D.  Lucas,  Ames. 

On  motion,  above  committee  was  authorized  and  empowered  to  prepare  a  me¬ 
morial  on  behalf  of  this  association,  to  be  presented  to  the  next  session  of  47th 
Congress. 

On  motion,  the  time  of  meeting  was  fixed  for  Wednesday  during  fair  week 
in  this  city  in  1883. 

On  motion  Executive  committee  was  empowered  to  call  special  meeting  if 
necessary. 

The  association  here  resolved  itself  into  a  general  love  feast,  when  Col.  W. 
B.  Bell  related  an  inimitable  reminiscence  of  prison  life,  which  was  heartily 
enjoyed — this  was  followed  by  Capt.  Lucas,  Col.  Conrad,  and  others,  when 
the  president’s  gavel  fell  at  6  o’clock  and  the  meeting  was  declared  adjourned. 
Attest:  J.  E.  WILKINS,  President. 

J.  J.  STUCKEY,  Secretary. 


